2026 ICD-10-CM Diagnosis Code T88.9XXSComplication of surgical and medical care, unspecified, sequela
T88.9XXS is a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code for complication of surgical and medical care, unspecified, sequela. The 7th character S marks it as a sequela code, which reports a problem that remains after the original condition has resolved. It is valid on HIPAA claims for fiscal year 2026 (October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026) and groups to MS-DRG 922 through 923. The code is exempt from POA reporting. In AHRQ's Clinical Classifications Software (CCSR), this diagnosis falls under Complication, sequela.
Code Identity
Code Classification
Present on Admission (POA)Billing
T88.9XXS is exempt from POA reporting on inpatient claims to general acute care hospitals. Review other POA exempt codes.
Approximate SynonymsGuidance
Alternate terms and clinical phrases that map to this code.
- Accident during hyperbaric treatment
- Accidental wound in surgical operation
- Adverse event following complementary therapy
- Adverse reaction to UVB light phototherapy
- Complication of health care
- Complication of medical care
- Complication of preventive medicine procedure
- Iatrogenic disorder
- Iatrogenic tattoo
- Injury as a result of positioning
- Late effect of medical and surgical care complication
- Perioperative injury
- Perioperative positioning injury
- Respiratory complications of care
- Severe medical complication
- Tattoo of skin
- Vascular complication of medical care
- Voice disorder due to iatrogenic factor
Coding GuidelinesGuidance
The appropriate 7th character is to be added to each code from block Other complications of surgical and medical care, not elsewhere classified (T88). Use the following options for the applicable episode of care:
- A - initial encounter
- D - subsequent encounter
- S - sequela
Source: ICD-10-CM Official Guidelines for Coding and Reporting, FY 2026, published by CMS and the National Center for Health Statistics.
Clinical ClassificationClinical
AHRQ’s CCSR groups this code into broader clinical categories.
Convert T88.9XXS to ICD-9-CMHistory
The closest ICD-9-CM equivalents under the General Equivalence Mappings.
Code HistoryHistory
Questions About T88.9XXSOverview
Is T88.9XXS (Complication of surgical and medical care, unspecified) a billable code?
Yes. This is a billable ICD-10-CM code, specific enough to report complication of surgical and medical care, unspecified, sequela on HIPAA-covered claims from October 1, 2025 through September 30, 2026.
What does the 7th character S in T88.9XXS mean?
The final character S makes this a sequela code: it reports a lingering problem that remains after the complication of surgical and medical care, unspecified itself has resolved, not the original event.
What MS-DRG does T88.9XXS group to?
When complication of surgical and medical care, unspecified, sequela is the principal diagnosis on an inpatient stay, it groups to MS-DRG 922, 923, with relative weights from 1.0177 to 1.7494 depending on complications. Higher weights mean higher Medicare reimbursement.
Is T88.9XXS exempt from POA reporting?
Yes. CMS lists this code among those exempt from present on admission reporting, so hospitals do not assign a POA indicator for complication of surgical and medical care, unspecified, sequela on inpatient claims.
What is the ICD-9 equivalent of T88.9XXS?
Under the General Equivalence Mappings, complication of surgical and medical care, unspecified, sequela converts to ICD-9-CM 909.3 (late eff surg/med compl). The mapping is approximate, so confirm the match fits the documentation.
Footnotes
[1] Not chronic - A diagnosis code that does not fit the criteria for chronic condition (duration, ongoing medical treatment, and limitations) is considered not chronic. Some codes designated as not chronic are acute conditions. Other diagnosis codes that indicate a possible chronic condition, but for which the duration of the illness is not specified in the code description (i.e., we do not know the condition has lasted 12 months or longer) also are considered not chronic.
